Car-fender.



PATENTED 00T. so, 190e F. M.y FEDBRICK.

GARv FENDER.

APPLICATION FILED AU(}.1,- 1906.

l UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

FRANCIS M. FREDERICK, OF OAK STATION, PENNSYLVANIA.

i CA R F E N D E R Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented-oct. 3o, 1906.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. FREDER- ICK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oak Station, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Oar-Fenders, of which the fo lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to t e accompanyingl drawings.

This invention relates to car-fenders; and its primary object is to provide a fender having wheels which will travel u on the rails and be held in contact therewit by gravity.

A further object is to provide a fender of simple,- inex ensive, and durableconstruction in which) the employment of springs is avoided.

The invention corn rises a fender of novel construction having flanged wheels to adapt it to travel on the rails of a car-track, in combination with means for elevating the front end of the fender to raise its wheels above the rails when desired.,

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawin s, which form part of this specification, an its novel features will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved fender in position upon a car. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the Same. Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view, on an .enlarged scale, of the lever for raising the fender away from the rails. Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the fender detached from the car and partly broken away; and Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the elevating-lever and its sup ort and the link connecting the lever with t e pivoted bail of the fender.

The fender-frame consists of parallel side bars 1 and 2, bent at the points 3 about centrally of their length to incline their rear portions upward, a front cross-bar 4, a rear crossbar 5, and corner-irons 6, connecting the ends of the side bars to the cross-bars. These corner-irons 6 are referably internallythreaded elbow-coup ings, into which the ends of the side and cross bars are screwed, said bars being round in cross-section and threaded at .their ends to iit the elbow corner connections, as shown in Fig. 4.

To the frame is secured a covering 7,l of suitable netting, and upon the front cross-bar 4 are mounted two flanged wheels 8, adapted to travel on the rails 9, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The frame. constructed as above described is rigid and durable and of sufiicient weight to maintain the wheels 8 in osition u on the rails. The frame is reinorced by ongitudinal braces 1() and one or more transverse braces 11, and the wheels 8 are 'confined between the front ends of the braces 10 and the adjacent corner-irons 6.

Depending from the car-platform 12 are two eyebolts 13, through which the rear cross-bar 5 of the fender extends to ivotally support the fender upon the car. e upper corner-irons 6 serve as stops to limit the lateral movement of the fender upon its pivotal su ports.

Pivotal y secured to the sides of the fender, preferably b eyebolts 14, is a bail 15, the ends of which are hooked into the eyebolts 14, as shown, and the cross-rodv of the bail is loosely connected by a link 16 with the end of a lever 17, 4fulcrurned bracket-arm 18 on the car. The lever is preferably twisted at the point 19 and slotted to provide a dog 20, adapted to engage a notch 21 in the bracket-arm 18, and said lever is formed with an elongated longitudinally-disposed slot 22, through which the pivot-pin 23 extends, said slot permitting the re uired slight longitudinal movement of the Clever necessa to engage and disengage it from the braiiliet-arm 18. The lever 17 is arranged within easy reach of the motorman, and it permits the fender to be quickly raised away from the rails when the car is about to round a curve, after which the lever is released to allow the fender to drop back upon the rails.

The utility of the device constructed as thus described will be readily understood. The fender-wheels are held to the rails by gravity, and the fender is thus caused to travel along in close proximity to the ground, avoiding the possibility of even small obstructions passing under the fender. A slight movement of the lifting-lever will raise the front of the fender and engage the leverdog in the notch of the bracket when a curve in the track is reached, and the lever is as uickly disengaged to drop the fender after t e carpasses around the'curve.

The compact and simple construction of the fender and its supporting and velevating devices render it strong and durable and capable of withstanding the constant service required of this class of car attachments.

IIO

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. A car-fender comprising a frame consisting of side bars bent to incline their rear portions upward, front and rear cross-bars, corner-irons connecting said bars, flanged wheels mounted on the lront cross-bar, means for pivotally securing the rear cross-bar to a car, and means for elevating the front end of the fender-frame.

2. The combination with a car having eyebolts secured thereto, of a Jfender-frame comrising bent side bars, front and rear crossars, and corner-irons connecting said bars, llanged wheels adapted to travel on the trackrails and to be held thereto by the weight of the fender, and means for raising and lowering the fender.

3. The combination with a car having eye- 2o bolts securedv thereto, of a Jfender-frame conirising bent side bars, front and rear crossars, and corner-irons connecting said bars,

flanged wheels adapted to travel on the trackrails and to be held thereto by the weight of" the fender, and means Jfor raising and lowering the fender comprising a bail pivotally secured to the fender-frame, a lever fulcrumed on the car, and a link connecting the bail and lever.

4. The combination with a car, of a fender-frame pivotally secured thereto, llangcd wheels on the front cross-bar of' said frame, a bail pivotally secured to the frame, a notched bracket on the car, a lever fnlcrurned on said bracket and provided with an elongated slot, and a dog to engage the bracket, and a link loosely connecting said bail and lever.

In testimony whereolc I allix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. FREDERICK.

Witnesses:

MAX H. SRoLovrTz, H. C. EvERT. 

